AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah?” she replies, coming around the corner looking at me.
“Hey, is it alright if I clock out early? The lawyer for Ray’s will is going to go over it at 2.”
“Yeah, just make sure the inventory checklist is finished.”
“Alright, Mom, I’ll be there in a couple of hours.”
I hang up and head to the back to start the inventory. My mind wanders to my mom and I think about how hard this must be for her, how alone she must feel now. Before Ray entered our lives, it always felt as if it had only been the two of us, despite my dad’s presence. Because of it, we have a special bond of understanding and love. We share everything with each other, and even if we are angry at one another, we always talk it out. She’s the only one who understands me; she knows what I’ve been through because she’s been through it, too. My father isn’t just abusive toward me. For years, he was and still is the same to her.
I remember I’d sit at the bottom of the stairs as a kid, listening to my mom and dad on the phone. She’d have him on speaker, with Ray listening by her side.
“Drop the child support, and I’ll pay you without a debt on my back,” he says in a harsh tone.
“Paying child support is the bare minimum of your responsibility to Hailey,” I hear my mom say.
“You won’t even fucking try to drop child support.”
“I have asked them about dropping it. They will not. And if you can easily pay without a debt on your back, you wouldn’t have an issue paying with it!” my mom screams through the phone, her voice cracking and a cough following.
“Go to hell!” he says.
There was silence after that.
“Ugh, I fucking hate that man!” she screams.
I hurry back up the stairs and into my room, closing the door slightly and putting my earbuds in to listen to my CD.
My mom never used the child support money for herself. It was always dedicated to helping me, whether it was for clothing, school supplies, or keeping the lights on. Her financial situation has never been great, but even if it were, my dad has consistently been a lazy individual who never bothers to find a job, not even to support his own flesh and blood.
He often boasts about having significant sums of money without disclosing their source. All the while, my mom was doing her best to raise me.
Neither of us has completely severed ties with him. Perhaps it’s because my mom worries that, in case something happens to me, I might need his help. However, she also fears that he might be so self-centered that he wouldn’t help me at all.
“It’s about 2 o’clock. Are you heading out?” Scarlett asks, pulling me out of my memories.
I look at my watch and gasp. “Yeah, I didn’t realize it was already close to 2.”
“I’ll clock you out. Tell me how everything goes.”
“Thank you, I will,” I say, while walking out the door.
* * *
I findmyself seated on the couch of Lucas Law Office. My mom is fidgeting beside me. The room is filled with a sense of anticipation as we wait for Mr. Lucas to read Ray’s will. I have no idea what to expect from his final wishes, aside from him giving mom his truck and maybe a few items to me. Mr. Lucas clears his throat, his eyes fixed on the legal document before him.
“Thank you both for coming today. I know this is a difficult time,” he starts. “As per Ray’s last will and testament, I am here to distribute his assets.”
“To you, Carly, Ray is giving you half a million dollars from his estate,” Mr. Lucas begins.
I gasp. I can’t believe my ears. My eyes fill up with tears. Half a million dollars is more than I could have ever imagined. I mean, I knew he worked a job that paid well, but not once did I ever think he had so much saved.
“And to you, Hailey,” Mr. Lucas continues, his gaze shifting to me, “he has left you $200,000.”
My jaw drops in astonishment. My mom looks at me, tears in her eyes. Tears stream down my cheeks, and I reach for my mom’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “Ray is always taking care of us, even after he is gone,” I whisper to her, my voice choking with emotion. She nods, her eyes shining with a mix of feelings.
Mr. Lucas then added, “Ray also left one car each, to both of you. The Jeep is for Hailey, knowing how much you loved working on it with him. It’s a way for his memory to live on through your bond.”
Mom and I exchange a knowing look. It’s a bittersweet moment. A reminder of the man we had lost, but also a testament to the love he had for us in his own unique way.
